The BKT United Rugby Championship has confirmed that URC.tv will relaunch for the 2025/26 season on a new platform powered by Eluvio, offering faster streaming, improved video quality and greater flexibility for fans — both in Ireland and around the world.
The new season kicks off this coming weekend against the backdrop of major shifts in the Irish broadcast market.
TG4 has secured exclusive free-to-air rights through to 2029, ensuring 26 live matches each season, including knockout rounds and Grand Finals, remain available to a national audience.
At the same time, Premier Sports has expanded its footprint, picking up rights to all Irish provincial matches and an exclusive live game every week.
RTÉ has exited the broadcasting coverage of the URC.
Priced at €40 annually for Irish fans, down from €60 under previous arrangements, the direct-to-consumer platform will stream seven of the eight live games each round, with the one game exclusive to Premier Sports made available as a full replay within 60 minutes of the final whistle.
For the first time, URC.tv will also be available through Smart TV apps on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung, and Google Play Store, making it easier than ever for supporters to follow the action on the biggest screen in the house.
Features such as split-screen viewing and picture-in-picture enhance the fan experience, allowing multiple games to be tracked simultaneously.
Synchronisation with EPCR
The relaunch is underpinned by Eluvio’s Content Fabric technology, already in use for EPCR.tv.
Based in California, Eluvio specialises in decentralised, blockchain-enabled streaming that reduces latency, cuts delivery costs, and avoids reliance on third-party content networks.
For the URC, the partnership represents a step towards owning more of its digital pipeline, aligning with a broader industry shift toward direct-to-consumer control.
Unyted Rugby Championship
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